Ready to relinquish state guest house, says Gogoi

GUWAHATI, Aug 17:  After staying more than 16 years at the State Guest House atop Koidhara Hill, former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday realized that residing in the guest house after losing power was not his correct decision and has now expressed his desire to relinquish the same. 

“Now I am ready to vacate it,” former Chief Minister Gogoi said in a press conference here.   

Gogoi’s confessiol statement came days after leader of opposition Debabrata Saikia said that both Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal and former Chief Minister Gogoi should vacate their respective guest houses as soon as possible.

“Both Gogoi and Sonowal should vacate the guest houses to make room for the guests coming to the State from other parts of the country,” Saikia had said in New Delhib recently. 

It may be noted that a State guest house atop Koidhara Hill had been occupied by former Chief Minister Gogoi as his official residence as a CM, which he is yet to vacate. After coming to power, present Chief Minister Sonowal started residing in other State guest house known as Brahmaputra Guest House at Kharghuli  area (near the Raj Bhawan).

With both the State guest houses occupied by Sonowal and Gogoi, the State Government has now decided to convert the Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok as a State guest house and convention centre.

Lack of guest house has now forced the government to provide accommodation to guests coming to the State in hotels.

Former Chief Minister Gogoi said that he wanted to relinquish the guest house after the new government coming to power but was not allowed to leave it due to security reasons.

“I wanted to move to my home vacating the guest but was not allowed to do so on security ground,” he said.

“Later, a quarter was allotted to me at ministers’ colony but the construction of a wall around the quarter was not completed. Now the construction of the wall has been completed but there is no place for the security guards to stay. However, I am ready to vacate the guest house,” Gogoi added.

On being asked about Debabrata Saikia’s comment, Gogoi said that the Saikia is not aware of the facts.